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Enhancing quality in K-12 online learning: An innovative course review partnership (Aurora B)

Presenters

• Jason Huett, Assistant Professor of instructional technology, University of West Georgia -- jhuett@westga.edu
• Kimberly Huett, Instructor of instructional technology and Ed.S. student, University of West Georgia -- khuett@westga.edu
• Steve Thompson, Program Director of Henry County Online Academy, Henry County Schools -- sthompson@henry.k12.ga.us
• Aaryn Schmuhl, Principal, Luella Middle School, Henry County Schools -- aschmuhl@henry.k12.ga.us
• Justin L. Castile, Instructional Technologist, Henry County Schools -- justin.castile@henry.k12.ga.us
• Sharon Synan, Instructional Technologist, Georgia Department of Education -- ssynan@doe.k12.ga.us

Description

This presentation highlights an innovative partnership between graduate students in an online program in Instructional Technology and teachers in a Georgia school district. The graduate students were chosen as authentic consultants and course reviewers to institute a quality control initiative for the new blended and fully online courses offered by the school district. This session will explain the course review model used as well as highlight the results of this ground-breaking partnership.

Our Presentation PowerPoint

Review Instruments

Instrument Name	File
National Standards of Quality for Online Learning	NS_course_grade_school_spg10_xyz.xls Details Download 85 KB
Sample Georgia Standards Alignment Document (6th grade Agriculture Science)	GPS_ag_6th_luella_spg10_xyz.doc Details Download 151 KB

Research Questions

This project is being conducted as a formative evaluation study using explanatory mixed methods design. Through the project, we hope to answer these questions:

1. To what extent are teachers in the blended middle school designing quality online learning environments for students as measured by the National Standards of Quality for Online Courses instrument?
2. To what extent are teachers in the online supplemental high school program creating quality online learning environments for students as measured by the National Standards of Quality for Online Courses instrument?
3. What aspects of the project do the graduate student course reviewers perceive to be valuable?
4. What aspects of the project do the LEA stakeholders perceive to be valuable?

Project_Timeline.pdf will shed light on some of the types of data we are collecting.

Timeline of Project

(Keep in mind that this is a snapshot of research processes still underway.)